Farm House Friday - Dicky Bird's Fruit & Nut Bread

I come from a long line of bread masters.  My brother was actually a professional baker.  I've always let that intimidate my lack of being able to make bread.  "Bread making is a science" have you heard this?  Well, I am not mathmatical or scientific.  I'm artistic and creative.  So, after decades of feeling intimidated by the science of successfully working with yeast, I decided to just do my own thing.  I wanted you to know this as a disclaimer, because this bread recipe might have been successful, however over the years, my chickens have enjoyed many that were not.   

Dicky Bird's Fruit & Nut Bread

1 C warm water (105-110) too hot or cold the yeast won't work
1 tsp. honey or sugar - this helps to activate the yeast
2 tsp. yeast (1 packet)

Leave sit until it becomes foamy/frothy

While this is activating, put this in your mixer with dough hook, you probably could do by hand too.

2 C all purpose flour
2 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C honey
1 T cinnamon

pour in the foamy yeast, mix a bit and then add

1 stick of melted butter
1 C warm milk
I melted and warmed together in microwave

Pour into the ingredients while mixer is running

Add the fruit and nuts

1 C dried fruit (raisin, craisin, cherries, dates) 
1 C chopped nuts 
(I used 1/2 C craisin, 1/2 C cherries and 1 C sliced almonds)

Mix a bit and then add all purpose flour 1/2 C at a time (I used 1 1/2 C - so total for the bread was 3 1/2 C all purpose and 2 C whole wheat) add until the dough pulls away from the side of bowl and attaches to the hook.

Dump onto a floured counter and knead a bit so all the fruit and nuts are well mixed.  Put dough in sprayed bowl.  I put this in my oven set a proof with a wet towel covering it.  Let rise until doubled.  

Once risen, take dough and divide in half.  Roll out into a rectangle, spread with melted butter and a combination of spices.  

1/2 stick melted butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Roll up and put in prepared loaf pan, let rise again until doubled.

Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes

Enjoy
Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin